The rise of the Sustainable Neighbourhood
Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, is the highest-rated sustainable precinct in Africa, having recently achieved a 6-Star Green Star Sustainable Precincts certification, along with an EDGE Advanced rating.
Situated among Stellenbosch’s lush vineyards, Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate redefines the concept of a South African “neighbourhood”. It promotes a pre-modernist urban living model where community life thrives in shared public spaces. The development has created a neighbourhood in the traditional sense that is safe, accessible and inclusive. Being sustainable over and above this is core to the vision of the project.
Newinbosch is the highest-rated sustainable precinct in Africa, proving developer Similan’s commitment to eco-friendly living and sustainable development. While Phase 1 and The Bosk apartment block have previously sold out, Phase 2 was launched in June and is already selling well.
The home exteriors include four palettes of marble, slate, granite and stone – all of which reflect the natural heritage of the Newinbosch site.
Unique features and assets
The development aims to create a cohesive neighbourhood feel and a positive connection to the outside world in various ways. Ground floor retail and office facilities with apartments above create a public edge at the entrance to Newinbosch, which connects to pedestrian routes and the Newinbosch Square shopping centre across the road, a school and a church.
space and boardrooms.
While safety is a key concern at Newinbosch, non-residents are invited to explore the public amenities and participate in events. Access control, powered by state-of-the-art technology, provides safe and seamless access for residents, while ensuring that visitors still feel welcome. Newinbosch includes public and community facilities that are accessible to visitors from outside. These include The Grappa Shed – a multipurpose venue for community events – a restaurant, gym, creche, 25-metre swimming pool, pickleball courts, a skate park and an amphitheatre, all of which will also be open to the public.
The precinct offers extensive pedestrian and micromobility routes. It’s designed around the concept of a “five-minute neighbourhood” – meaning it takes five minutes for residents to connect to amenities within the precinct. Contrary to many urban areas, Newinbosch offers amenities that cater to families and children, while nurturing a public realm that is safe and encourages play.
“We’ve always envisioned Newinbosch as a place for everyone – a community of people that is down to earth, welcoming and honest,” says Harold Spies, managing director at Similan. “Our focus is on creating a neighbourhood with the right mix of ingredients and liveability. It’s not an ‘estate’ – a subtle but very important distinction for us.”
EDGE Advanced certification means that these homes are at least 40% more energy-efficient and 20% more water and material-efficient than conventional homes.
Sustainability initiatives
Innovative green building initiatives abound: a solar- and battery-powered microgrid on site in partnership with Broadreach Energy and Lesedi Renewables; cost-saving energy-efficiencies that inform all design considerations (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies – EDGE-certified); water-efficient technologies that use rain- and grey water for irrigation; new-generation waste management to reduce waste to landfill; indigenous landscaping, including restoration of local renosterveld and the creation of pocket forests; and a not-for-profit urban farm.
The development will target five sustainable certifications in total, with two already achieved: the 6-Star Green Star Sustainable Precincts, which rates the sustainability of the planning, design and construction of a whole precinct, and signifies world leadership in this realm; and an EDGE Advanced certification, which recognises homes that are at least 40% more energy-efficient and 20% more water- and material-efficient than conventional buildings.
Economic benefits
Newinbosch’s commitment to sustainability goes beyond eco-friendly practices. Residents can expect substantial economic benefits from making their homes at the development. Purchasers of EDGE-certified properties currently qualify for a 0.25% interest rate concession from participating banks. ABSA clients get up to an additional R55K cash back into their bond. It is hopeful that the homes at Newinbosch will receive another 0.25% interest rate reduction, thanks to its 6-Star Green Star Sustainable Precincts rating. Water and energy costs will be considerably lower, and the solar grid will buffer homeowners from potential load shedding.
Redefining the “neighbourhood”
From a qualitative perspective, Newinbosch is a substantially and measurably different type of development than most others. “We know that the liveability of Newinbosch will surpass most other neighbourhoods and in time, result in higher sales prices, which will definitely benefit our buyers,” adds Spies.
Georgina Smit, GBCSA head of technical, affirms: “Newinbosch’s Sustainable Precincts certification is significant because it’s the first 6-Star rating of its kind on the African continent. Furthermore, this project is greening at the scale we need to really drive transformation within the built environment. If we are serious about transitioning our carbon trajectory and enhancing ecological value, we need more neighbourhoods designed like this to create systemic change. Their holistic approach serves as a model for future developments in South Africa and beyond, and GBCSA commends the entire project team for their commitment and, importantly, their action with entrenching sustainable thinking into the development roll-out.”
from the area’s Old Cape Dutch roots.
Broadreach Energy, Lesedi Renewables and developer Similan have partnered to create an innovative energy solution for Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate, and the first of its kind in South Africa: a residential microgrid power service.
A dedicated electricity company
Newinbosch will comprise 1 330 residential units, retail and commercial spaces, sporting amenities and schools. Having already attained EDGE and 6-Star Green Star certification, the project is on track to becoming the greenest neighbourhood in the country. This achievement has been made possible by forming Newinbosch Energy, a dedicated private electricity company for the estate, which is owned, managed and operated by Broadreach Energy, a leading South African funder of renewable energy projects.
Premier engineering, project management and maintenance solutions company Lesedi Renewables supports Broadreach with technical expertise. The forward-thinking approach adopted by Stellenbosch Municipality also played a key role in supporting the project as a model for future developments and facilitating the required approvals.
Broadreach and Lesedi designed, funded and installed a microgrid, energy storage and demand management solution for Newinbosch that will supplement the municipal supply. Unlike typical residential solar installations, Broadreach Energy achieved economies of scale with a neighbourhood-wide, meshed network of solar panels and batteries. Electricity is produced by optimally located solar panels across the neighbourhood that feed into the microgrid, which powers residential properties and common areas, and the system will scale as the neighbourhood grows.
Seamless access to sustainable power
The benefits for residents include protection from load shedding, access to sustainable power – with up to 60% of their needs coming from green sources – and lower electricity bills and annual rate escalations. Residents experience no load shedding up to stage 3. From stage 4, the system automatically reduces demand by temporarily switching off power-hungry appliances such as hot water geysers, ovens and air conditioning, while keeping essential services and appliances running. This smart load balancing both softens the impact of load shedding at the higher stages and saves residents even more on their power bill with automatic energy efficiencies that don’t significantly impact their lifestyle.
It was important to developer, Similan, that the microgrid solution should be environmentally and economically sustainable, mitigate the impact of load shedding, and offer its residents reduced power bills, while receiving the bulk of the neighbourhood’s energy from a sustainable source, like the sun. For residents of Newinbosch, it is a convenient and seamless way to access solar power. Each home is fully operational when residents move in, switchovers during load shedding are automatic, and residents deal with a single power supplier through an online and app-based portal.
https://broadreach.energy/; https://lesedins.co.za/
